How does yogurt consumption affect gut health and immunesystem? A review of probiotic studies

The gut microbiota is a key factor in maintaining host health and well-being, as it influences various aspectsof host physiology, such as digestion, metabolism, immunity, and neurobehavior. Probiotics are livemicroorganisms that can modulate the gut microbiota and immune system, conferring health benefits on thehost. Yogurt is a fermented dairy product that contains probiotic bacteria, as well as other nutrients. Yogurtconsumption has been suggested to have beneficial effects on gut health and immune system, based on severalprobiotic studies. However, the evidence is not conclusive, and the mechanisms are not fully understood. Theobjective of this article is to review the current literature on how yogurt consumption affects gut health andimmune system, based on probiotic studies. We focus on the effects of yogurt consumption on gut microbiotacomposition and diversity, gut barrier function and intestinal inflammation, and systemic immunity and diseaseprevention. We summarize the main findings, highlight the most consistent and robust evidence, acknowledgethe gaps and inconsistencies, and suggest possible explanations and directions for future research. We alsodiscuss the implications and applications of the findings for health promotion and disease prevention, andprovide some recommendations and guidelines for yogurt consumption. We conclude that yogurt consumptionmay have beneficial effects on gut health and immune system, but more high-quality and standardized studiesare needed to confirm and elucidate the probiotic effects of yogurt.

Keywords:

yogurt consumption , gut health , immune system , probiotics